Merrimack River Eagle Festival Fun

Free Event in Newburyport, Massachusetts

When: March 5, 2016 Events Run All Day

Winter Family Fun

Bundle up, grab some binoculars and your camera and spend a day in nature learning about Bald Eagles.

This is the 10th year of the Merrimack River Eagle Festival, taking place along the mighty Merrimack River in Newburyport, MA. Presented by Mass Audubon’s Joppa Flats Education Center and the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, this event has something for everyone.

Growing Up Along the River

Having grown up in the area and along the river, a child of the 70’s, I was told by my 3rd grade teacher that the only eagles that I would likely see in my lifetime would be in a zoo.

This news was devastating to me as a kid. We were learning about extinction in school and endangered animals. I only hoped that the day would someday arrive where I could see an eagle in the wild.

With the banning of DDT and the improved water quality, eagles have made a comeback here on the Merrimack River. Today our whole family participates in the Merrimack River Eagle Festival and enjoy seeing eagles in the wild, literally in our own backyard.

Annual Merrimack River Eagle Festival

When: Saturday, March 5, 2016  8:30 am – 4:00 pm

Where:  Mass Audubon’s Joppa Flats Education Center, 1 Plum Island Turnpike, Newburyport, Parker River National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters, 6 Plum Island Turnpike, Newburyport, and other locations

Cost: Free

For more information: Call  978-462-9998; www.massaudubon.org

The Merrimack River Eagle Festival celebrates two amazing recoveries. First, the Merrimack River has rebounded from its polluted past to its sparkling present; second, the Bald Eagle, our national symbol, which was extirpated from Massachusetts due to pollution, has returned to its restored habitat. Only eleven years ago, in 2005, one pair of Bald Eagles built the first nest known in the lower Merrimack River Valley; currently, four nesting pairs inhabit the region. The eagles are back, and that speaks volumes about the health of the river and its habitats.

Did You Know? 

• Did you know that it takes four to five years for bald eagles to get their white heads?
• That the average wingspan for a bald eagle is almost seven feet?
• That female bald eagles are larger than males?
• That bald eagles are kleptoparasites – meaning that sometimes they steal food from other birds?

There are all kinds of interesting facts to learn about bald eagles, and the Merrimack River Eagle Festival is the place to ask the questions and get the answers.

The Merrimack River Eagle Festival

Come to Newburyport and Amesbury on March 5 for a full day of free activities celebrating the return of our Bald Eagles!

Visit Eagle Hotspots    9:00 am–4:00 pm

Drive yourself! Naturalist guides will be onsite all day along the Merrimack River. Parking available. See map. All ages welcome.

Go on an Eagle Tour    9:00 am–2:00 pm

Let us drive you! Tours start every half hour and take 90 minutes to complete. Departure point: The Newburyport Chamber of Commerce. Advance registration required (978-462-9998). Adults and children age 6 and over. Suggested donation: $5.00 per person.

See a Raptor Show    10:00–11:00 am or 1:30–2:30 pm

Tom Ricardi of the Massachusetts Bird of Prey Rehabilitation Facility presents two educational programs at Newburyport City Hall featuring raptors great and small. First come, first served. Recommended for adults and children age 6 and over.

Pose for a Photo with a Raptor  11:15–11:45 am or 12:30–1:00 pm

Hunt’s Photo & Video will take your photo with a raptor for a $10 donation. to the Eagle Festival. Newburyport City Hall. Limited availability. Advance registration recommended (978-462-9998). Otherwise, first come, first served.

Have Fun with Your Family   10:00 am–3:00 pm

At the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters

Family activities, arts and crafts, and more! Special features: Live owls from Mass Audubon’s Drumlin Farm (11:00 – 3:00).

At the Joppa Flats Education Center:

Family activities, arts and crafts, and more! Special feature: Live hawks from Mass Audubon’s Drumlin Farm (11:00 – 3:00).

Find Eagle Festival Information 8:30 am–4:00 pm

Eagle Festival information will be available at all festival headquarter sites:

• Mass Audubon’s Joppa Flats Education Center: 1 Plum Island Turnpike, Newburyport 978-462-9998
• Parker River National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters: 6 Plum Island Turnpike, Newburyport 978-465-5753
• The Newburyport Chamber of Commerce: 38R Merrimac Street, Newburyport 978-462-6680
• Newburyport City Hall: 60 Pleasant Street, Newburyport
• Lowell’s Boat Shop: 459 Main Street, Amesbury 978-834-0050

About Mass Audubon Joppa Flats Education Center

Mass Audubon’s Joppa Flats Education Center, located at One Plum Island Turnpike in Newburyport, is a natural history education center that is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday and Monday holidays, 8:30 am–4:00 pm. Call 978-462-9998 for additional information, or visit the website at www.massaudubon.org/joppaflats

 About the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge

Operated by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge encompasses over two-thirds of Plum Island and consists of 4,662 acres of critical coastal habitats, including dunes, maritime forest, and salt marsh. The Refuge Visitor Center and Headquarters, at Six Plum Island Turnpike in Newburyport, is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 am–4:30 pm. Exhibits are open 11:00 am–4:00 pm. Call 978-465-5753 for more information, or visit the website at www.fws.gov/northeast/parkerriver